Wednesday December 30, 2009   ·   Josh Ritter, "Empty Hearts" 2009

This is what I sing to myself not just every turn-of-the-year, but whenever there’s need for reaffirmation.

Everyone should attend a Josh Ritter concert at least once.

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Tuesday August 11, 2009   ·   State of Lynn, August 09

It’s been really quiet here, hasn’t it? Well, actually, much has been going on behind the scenes! For one thing, I went to Germany and Austria for the first two weeks of July. Boy, did we do a lot of walking. It did rain, which I hear is actually typical July weather for Bavaria, but even so, it was gorgeous. Witness:

Oh my gosh, don’t even get me started on the chocolate there. Delicious.

I’ve also been at work hosting and editing the Girlamatic podcast. I came up with the idea of a podcast, the editor was enthusiastic over it, and off we went! Right now the first episode is up, and I’m currently working on editing the second one before it goes live. Whoever thought mixing sounds could be so much fun?

I’ve also been entertaining out-of-town guests, and let me say that there’s nothing like using your friends to learn more about your own city. It’s the perfect excuse!

Not only that, I’m currently a few pages in on a short-story comic which will give you some insight as to why I hadn’t been able to produce artwork for a couple of months. Suffice to say, one of the very compelling reasons for this was because I literally couldn’t even bend my fingers. If that doesn’t pique your interest, well, then, I’m a truly gone case. I’ll be posting pages of that comic in the next few weeks.

And that’s what’s been happening with me. Hope you folks have been having an excellent summer!

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Tuesday February 17, 2009   ·   Self-made recipe cards

Instead of buying recipe cards, I created a template, printed it out on moleskine paper, and cut the pages in half for compact convenient sizing. Hey presto! I even put a little square in the corner of the template so that I could draw a picture of each dish. Love it!

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Friday December 19, 2008   ·   RENT: Seasons of Love

How do you measure a year? — RENT

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Tuesday December 16, 2008   ·   Good Things list, Dec 08

A thank-you card I made earlier today

I’m always privately amused by anyone who calls this the slowest time of year — not from where I’m standing! This season can be trying for many of us. To help, I thought I’d gather up a list of Good Things to bring a smile to our faces, if only for a moment before we’re back in the hustle-and-bustle.

First, my own Good Things:

- Being surprised by a gift box of chocolates (“Wait, how did they know my name?”)

- Replenishing my pantry with baking chocolate again (must-have rules in my larder include a can of artichokes for emergencies — because you never know when you might need a can of artichokes — and ingredients for spur-of-the-moment late-night brownie-baking)

- Decaffeinated chai. For caffeine-sensitive people like me, this is heavenly.

- Fluffy birdies napping on me (if you’ve never had puffed-up birdies feeling close and secure enough to snooze on you, you don’t know what you’re missing )

- Warm, toasty socks during below-zero weather

- Colourful toe-socks given to me by Junkie a few years ago, and still make me smile and think of her everytime I wear them

- New, spacious, terrific library finally opening just a stone’s throw away, after months and months of waiting

- A fresh stack of library books ready to be devoured, joy!

- Assam teapot gift (oh lovely, lovely tea)

- A candle, also a gift. You may wonder at this, but let me tell you, when I opened this gift, something in my heart warmed deep. I had been going without candles for months now. I used to light them every night in my old home, and was missing them quite sadly. Now I shall be able to light my way home again.

Speaking of which. . . .

- Finding my new home. Or, I suppose I should say, the process of finding my new home. I’m contacting people and making inquiries, and I’m finding to my surprise that it’s making me feel quite good. I think the reason is that instead of sitting still and biting my nails and stressing about it, I am actively on the go and looking for what feels like “me.” This smacks of promise and hope.

- Compiling pictures of home decor ideas (sites like decor8 and Apartment Therapy have such lovely, visually inspiring images that make me excited about what I could myself pull off)

Now, Good Things by others:

- The swoon-worthy quality of Matthew Barber‘s songs, as evidenced by this and this. I never say this about anybody, but I would totally let him buy me dinner

- Christine’s Darling holiday cards (this one has always been my favourite)

- Rob Brezsny calling this upcoming year the Year of the Swashbuckle for us Libras. I concur!

- I can’t find the link now, but I’m pretty sure it was Marilyn who had the wonderful, inspiring idea of making little thank-you cards with her Boy, and as they went around doing their holiday to-do’s, they handed out cards to everyone who made it a good day (eg. the person who opened a door for them, bus-driver, etc). I think this is a marvelous idea. If there’s one thing you’d like to do to make someone’s day this holiday season, do this

- While we’re on the subject, let’s consider Marilyn a great Good Thing while we’re at it. She believes in play and in taking one evening a week for the whole family to get together and make things. She listens to her Boy, always and never dismissively. Those of you who wonder whether there is too much homework these days, let me tell you that Marilyn and the WonderHub at one point told the school There Was A Limit to how much such things could take up his day, and they make every effort to ensure their Boy has time to live and run and climb. They show that learning does not mean being cooped up with homework all day, and in doing so they have raised such an intelligent, inquisitive, adventurous Boy

- The city of Chicago coming together to make an 18th thing

- A nation choosing hope rather than fear

- Comics by the talented Lucy Knisley, who keeps popping out works of art even on sick days. Now that’s incredible!

- Comics by the hilarious Kate Beaton, who shows that life as a Canadian, a historian, and an all-around lover of all things funny is a great thing indeed

Tell me about your Good Things! I’d love to hear them!

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Saturday November 8, 2008   ·   Play-by-play birthing

On Halloween, cartoonist friend Jenn Manley Lee of Dicebox fame welcomed to the world a little — okay, not so little (*grin*) — girl named Taran Jack. She, her husband, and supporters Twittered the entire affair. You gotta love it.

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Friday October 31, 2008   ·   In the midst of darkness, light persists

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Thursday October 23, 2008   ·   TAI concert photos

It’s not just art and drawing that brings me such utter delight. A lot of times, capturing a great shot carries the same thrill. I was at a concert this week and was happy to let my camera have at it. Here are a couple of shots I put in the Goodies: Photo page that I’m particularly proud of:

I love it when shows make the fullest use of great stage lighting. It makes all the difference visually and in experience.

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Tuesday May 6, 2008   ·   Filming of Public Enemies at the Capitol

I love my camera. I really, really do.

Click on the pic to view the whole set!

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Wednesday April 16, 2008   ·   Batman ice-cream!

Just had to share this: Guess what flavor’s in a Batman ice-cream!

I can’t wait to find out the recipe — not only that, the conversation snippets are hilarious:

“Tasty, tasty Batman.”

“If Batman were to sit down with a pint and a tear-jerker movie (say, one afternoon with nothing better to do—a broken leg maybe?) COULD THIS BE THE ICE CREAM HE PICKS UP?”

“Does it taste like vigilantes?”

“NIGHTWING ice cream! Great thought! It would need to have a hint of ‘chip on shoulder’, I’m guessing? Just how would that taste, I wonder. Could I somehow include sour grapes without being over the top?”

Love it! :D

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